Skin Type Analysis

Today we're going to tackle something that gets most skin care beginners totally confused. The skin type. I want to go on the record RIGHT NOW and tell you that you are not going to be only one skin type forever. So, don't get wed to the results you get today. In a few years, you will have different concerns. Your skin may or may not change. Let this merely be a guiding tool to help you choose your products wisely.

Every skin care brand out there has some kind of classification system and different lines of product for different skin types. But how do you know what skin type you really are? Mature, sensitive, dry, oily, combination, normal, teen, acne prone..... it's enough to make your head spin. In order to really gauge your best skin type, Mario Badescu (you know I love him) has this excellent questionnaire on their website. Now, of course, most all skin care websites have some sort of questionnaire, but I find this one to be very thorough and helpful. This questionnaire will not merely spit out a random skin type at the end, but will have someone send you an email with your results. Quite helpful, and much more personalized than the typical analysis.

One thing to keep in mind is while it helps to know your skin type, this is a fluid concept that you should check annually. At different points in your life, your skin will have different concerns, and it's important to change your skin care routine accordingly. For example, at the moment, I am both sensitive and dry. While I have been dry most all my life, my sensitivity has increased in the last few years. I can also be acne prone, depending on stress and hormones. So, I am not just one type! And, my guess is that neither are you. You may be oily, but only in the summer months. You may be dry, but only in the winter months. You may become pregnant and find that your skin totally changes texture and tone. As you age, you may find that you need to begin to work in mature skin products to help with wrinkles, fine lines, and firmness. You may take a new job and find that your skin changes because of the increased amount of time inside or outside. This is all normal and just takes you being in tune with your body and skin to realize these changes.

Now let's discuss how your skin results from this questionnaire can help you buy products from lots of different lines. Mario classifies skin in the following groups: Dry, Oily, Combination, Sensitive. You'll see each of their products has little letters on it telling you which product is right for you. But, you can also use these results to help you purchase products from other lines, as well. If you are dry, you may consider adding a serum to your regimin, like the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel that I have mentioned in previous posts. If you find that your skin is sensitive, you may want to consider trying organic and botantical lines, like pevonia, boscia, ole henriksen, NUDE, or Jurlique.

So, take a small mental health break from work and go check your skin type. Did you get the results you expected? I hope that when you get home you will check your bathroom cabinet and look to see if the products you are currently using fit with the results you got from your analysis. If they don't fit, it might be time to try something new!

Pevonia's Lumafirm Line

By now, you know that I am willing to try just about anything. This amazing product line came in the form of a mail-order sample, and as it was from one of my favorite brands, I was excited to try it. (I'm on so many skin care mailing lists, my husband thinks we should go into skin care witness protection just to stop getting the catalogs.)

Pevonia  came out with a great new line called "lumafirm" in April of this past year, and it was recieved with rave reviews. Personally, I tried just the sample kit, and had several people ask me if I had been getting more sleep lately. One woman even asked me if I was pregnant because she claimed I had "pregnancy glow!" It's not often you see instant results with a product, but this did seem to have an instant effect.

Lumafirm is touted by the brand as "freeze-dried technology" and to use the entire line, you need just two steps. The first is a a mud colored, free-dried disk called the Freeze-Dried At-Home Intensifer. Basically, you wash your face, and once you have a clean, damp face, you peel off the back of the disk, hold the disk by it's butterfly handle, and wipe it all over your face, neck, and décolleté. Once the disk is finished, wet your fingers and keep gently massaging your skin until the disk is totally absorped in your skin. The key here is to keep your skin nice and damp from beginning until the disk is absorbed. (And at $20 for a box of these, it's not a bad deal.)

The next step is to apply the lumafirm Repair Cream Lift & Glow. Use it like you would any other moisturizer, applying it to face, neck, and décolleté morning and night. You can use this cream without using the freeze-dried disks. However, step two is a bit more costly, as the costs $78 for a jar. Most boutique moisturizers will run you in this price range, and I do believe this to be a good one. However, you may want to start with the above mentioned sample kit, just to see if you like it, before investing.

For those who have never used Pevonia, it's a great brand that is great for people with sensitive skin or rosacea. You can order it online, or ask your dermatologist who carries it at a spa or boutique near you.

Jurlique Calendula Cream

Let me start off by saying, it's not often that I fall in love with a moisturizer. More often than not, I find that it doesn't wear well all day, or it's too greasy. Especially creams that are formulated for dry skin, very often they are thick and uncomfortable to wear every day. And, because I am such a nut about my skin, I tend to be VERY picky!

However, I have just tried a sample of Jurlique's Calendula Cream, and I have fallen head over heels. This lightweight cream is great for my sensitive skin because it contains witch hazel, calendula, and evening primrose (amongst other things) which are all known to have anti-inflammatory qualities.

I like the way this cream sits lightly on your skin, and how it seems to absorb but not disappear. I was left feeling supple, but not like an oil slick, and it didn't make my skin feel itchy, like some moisturizers tend to do. Also, and perhaps most importantly, I was left with moisturized and soothed skin that felt calm and happy!

It's $35 for a tube, which isn't cheap but it's also not nearly as outrageous as some other creams that I have tried (that I didn't like!). Click here to order it for yourself from their website!

Ho, ho, ho!

The holidays are fast approaching, and there are some great deals out there if you are interested in trying any of the products that I have mentioned in my blog (or any other great lines listed below!). Here are some deals to help stuff your stocking!

1. REN Clean Skincare- 10% off your first order, use code WELCOME. http://www.renskincare.com/

2. Mario Badescu- Free shipping and gift with all purchases over $50, use code shipgift. http://www.mariobadescu.com/

3. Sephora- A 7-piece set with your order that includes some of my favorites, including Kate Somerville's ExfoliKate, REN's Glycolactic Renewal Mask, and Boscia Night Lotion. Use code SKINSTARS http://www.sephora.com/promo/skinstars/

4. Drugstore.com- Spend $50 on philosophy products, and get a free Winter Favorites Kit for free (a $40 value)! http://www.drugstore.com/user/promo.asp?code=560BFA2B&trx=GFI&trxp1=135441&trxp2=118147&trxp3=4

5. Clinique- Pick 4 mini skincare or make up treats for free when you spend $25 or more. Get what you need and put the others in your sisters/moms/mother-in-laws stocking (or your own)! http://www.clinique.com/cms/product/supercat/offers.tmpl

6. Dr Hauschka- This Jennifer Aniston favorite is offering free shipping and three free samples between now and December 31st. Or, you can save 20% on all travel kits, which is a nice way to introduce yourself to this fabulous line. Splurge on Rose Day Cream Light, or one of my personal favorites, the Soothing Mask. http://www.drhauscka.com/

7. Bliss- Order $135 worth of products from Bliss, and receive a huge stocked gift bag when you use code HOLIDAY11. Bliss carries several of my favorite brands, including Dr. Dennis Gross, 3LAB, and Strivectin. Order gifts for the gals on your list, and you can keep the goody bag! There are also some great skincare sales listed here. http://www.blissworld.com/

Hope you enjoy! If you have any other deals that you have found, let me know. I'd love to hear them.

The Three S's... Stress, Sleep, and Skin

I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. We all remember finals weeks in college and the inevitable breakouts that followed from the stress and lack of sleep. Stress can have a tremendous physical impact on your body. You know how it feels when you look in the mirror and see bags under your eyes, red blotchy skin, and in general have lost your "glow". You know how much better you look after a restful week of vacation, when you've eaten and slept well and really have taken the time to unwind.

A long time ago, a dermatologist of mine gave me this excellent tip. It changed the way that I thought about my skin, and I hope that it might do the same for you. She said to stop thinking about your skin as a cosmetic coating that needs to be scrubbed, picked, waxed, and loofahed within an inch of it's being. Think about your skin like an organ. Just like any other organ in your body. Like your heart, or your stomach, your throat, your kidneys. You see a doctor for it's care. When you are tired, overworked, overweight, overstressed, dehydrated, allergic, or sick- your skin will show this just like any other organ. It's actually more likely to show some of these signs, as it is the organ we see the most! We can't open up and peek at our arteries, tummy, liver, or kidneys!

You know that when you are stressed, you also tend to feel tired. It's because stress and sleep often go hand-in-hand. When we are stressed, we are also likely to not be getting enough sleep or good quality sleep. We know this is taking a toll on our body- our tummies get out of whack, our eyes twitch, our immunity to infection weakens, and we don't feel so hot. Because we are now thinking of our skin as an organ, we know that this is taking a toll on our skin as well!

Perhaps we are working to finish a project for school, staying up late to clean the house or do the laundry, sitting for long hours by the computer to work on our finances. Or, even when we get to bed on time, studies show that a high level of stress can have an effect on the quality of sleep that you get each night. Highly stressed individuals have a more shallow sleep pattern, instead of sinking deep into their REM cycles, where restorative sleep occurs.

Ok, now I know what you are thinking. You can't magically remove all the stress from your life. You are going to have nights where you just don't get as much sleep as you'd like. Life happens, and we can't avoid it. I know that. You don't have to achieve Dalai Lama style Zen to have great skin.

You can, however, take some really simple steps to help make a big difference. Let's start at the source- stress. I want you to try these five simple steps RIGHT NOW- no matter where you are! Just trust me.

Step One- Get up, walk to the sink/water cooler, and make yourself a big glass of water. Sip on this glass while you complete these next steps.

Step Two- Focus your energy on your brow and forehead. If you are like me, you may tend to tense this area, which can result in fine lines. Close your eyes and try to release the tension from your forehead. This may take some practice. Think about trying to release your wrinkles and flatten the skin on your forehead and brows. Release all that tension that you are carrying in between your eyes. It feels amazing!

Step Three- Focus your energy on your shoulders. Are the crunched up and tense? Release them! Let them fall naturally, and straighten your spine so that your chest feels open and your neck feels longer.

Step Four- Close your eyes, and breathe deeply from your diaphragm. Really take a big breath from the pit of your belly. Take a few breaths while you are at it! Doesn't this feel divine? Doesn't it make the world feel like it's moving a bit slower? Utter chaos might surround you at home or work, but you are taking deep luxurious breaths that say, "I am special, I deserve a moment to myself to re-center, to get in balance, and to restore my sanity."

Step Five- Rub your temples. Take your pointer and index fingers, and gently rub the temples of your head, those soft spots beside your eyes and above your ears. Don't rub hard, just a gentle pressure. Close your eyes while you do this and take another deep breath. If you are at home and have a teeny bit of olive oil, just barely wet your pointer finger and use a touch of oil.

Repeat these steps often, even multiple times a day if you'd like. Try them right before bed and see if perhaps you get a better nights sleep. And guess what, your WHOLE body will thank you. Skin included.

Dr. Oz's Aspirin & Lemon Juice Flawless Skin Home Remedy

Alright readers, I have to admit that I have not yet tried this "miracle" remedy from Dr. Oz, but I am very intrigued, and so plan on trying it as soon as I get back from the holidays. I stumbled upon it while I was doing a bit of research on the effectiveness of my previous post regarding baking soda as a means of DIY Microdermabrasion. I'm a bit leery of trying anything right here before the holiday party season begins, so I am going to stick to my tried and true regimen for a bit, before I go back to being experimental in the new year!

However, I do believe that this "recipe" should work, as all of it's ingredients are well touted as skin-perfecting pantry finds. Dr. Oz is said to swear by this as a way to clear your complexion. Aspirin, as it is an anti-inflammatory, should help take the redness out of any pimples or blotchy spots, and the vitamin C in the lemon juice should also help reduce redness. (It should be noted, that you may not want to try this on sunburned skin, as I believe this might be a bit harsh for that.) You will use the baking soda at the end of the facial, much like you do in my previous post about Lauren Conrad's DIY Microdermabrasion. So, here it goes, and if you have tried this before, please let me know what you thought! I'll make sure to post my own results as soon as I try it.

Dr. Oz's Aspirin and Lemon Juice Flawless Skin Home Remedy

You Will Need:
1. At least 6 non-coated aspirin pills
2. A fresh lemon
3. 3 heaping tablespoons of baking soda

Step One: Dissolve the non-coasted aspirin in a small dish with the juice of a fresh lemon. You may only need half of the lemon to get the right amount of juice, measure by sight until you have a healthy paste.

Step Two: Use the paste as a mask, applying in a gentle circular motion.

Step Three: Leave the paste on your face for 10 minutes.

Step Four: Wash off with a wet cotton ball dipped in baking soda. Finish with a water rinse and pat dry with a clean towel.

Are you interested in other at-home beauty tips from Dr. Oz? Check out this section of his webpage, which has a great list of viewer beauty secrets that have been tested and reviewed!

More Winter Skin Tips!

The Beauty Department: Your Daily Dose of Pretty. - I PLEDGE…

I found this website (founded in part by one of my favorite ladies, Lauren Conrad) and it had some great additional tips for keeping dry skin at bay! Hope you enjoy.

Do you have any tips? Please submit below! I'd love to hear them.

Olive Oil Facial

As the holidays draw near, we are all working to beat the winter dry skin, on both our faces and bodies, that I discussed in my last post. Hardly anyone is immune to it, even the oiliest of complexions can be dry this time of year. You may notice dry cuticles around your nails, flaky skin around your nose or eyebrows, and in general a bit less of that rosy complexion that you enjoyed over the summer. And, contrary to popular belief, facial dry skin is actually quite prone to breakouts, as rough dry skin sits atop your dermis and dulls your complexion and clogs your pores.

In the winter, you may find that you need to take extra measures to keep your skin smooth and supple. So, I decided to try a much recommended homemade Olive Oil Facial. The premise is simple, you slather up your face with a high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and then you gently lean over a pot of steaming water to open your pores. I thought I might as well try it!

Now, for many of you, putting pure oil on your face is going to seem contrary to things that you have heard your whole life. Aren't zits just little oily spots just waiting to be zapped by creams, gels, and prescriptions that strip our skin of it's oil? The answer is no. Actually, our dermis really desires to keep a nice balance between moisturized, greasy, or dry. Many of us find that is a fine line to walk! I know I do.

So, I gently cleansed my face and patted it dry. I applied Colavita brand EVOO to my face like it was a regular moisturizer.

Then, I leaned over my steaming water and let myself steam for about five minutes. It felt great! After I was done, I used the same gentle cleanser to wash the EVOO from my face, and patted dry. (Always pat, never rub, ladies!) I felt very soft and supple! And, my skin never broke out from the application of the oil. In fact, I believe it may have helped clear up some spots that had left a bit of redness. This is a "facial" that I will certainly put into my rotation, especially when the skin care dollars are running a bit low!

**My skin tends to be dry, so I'd be interested to hear how this facial worked for you if you tend to be oily. Please comment below if you've tried this!

Winter Dry Skin

Ah, December. The weather is cold, the heat is on in your office, and we are building nice warm fires in our fireplaces. Sounds cozy, right? Well, not if you have terribly dry skin! These conditions are just perfect for dry, itchy skin to rear it's uncomfortable head. But how do you know if your dry skin isn't something more serious, like eczema?

Eczema is a non-contagious condition that causes itchy, scaly, red patches of dry skin. Normally the patches are small-medium sized and the condition is most common in infants and children. However, it can present itself in adults. If you have patches that look and feel like this, consult a dermatologist! More often than not, eczema is only successfully treated (sadly, it's not a curable condition) when you use a prescription like Elidel.

If your skin feels tight, ashy, or slightly itchy, you may only have dry skin and this can be treated quite easily with this 3-step system:

1. Lotion, lotion, lotion. Pick a good moisturizer for your face, and also one for your body. Apply liberally after you have toweled dry from your shower, and always at night before bed. (You may also try turning down the temps in your shower, as scalding hot water will dry out your skin!) For dry, irritated skin, I like Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion.

2. Drink more water. It may seem obvious, but drinking water helps your skin rebuild itself an stay hydrated. Make sure that you are drinking at least 8 glasses a day. This is a free tip that everyone should try! It helps you look younger!

3. Start taking a fish oil or a Vitamin E supplement. I have noticed that taking Fish Oil (the coated kind, so as to prevent fishy breath!) or a Vitamin E supplement also helps my hair, skin, and nails. Of course, if you are pregnant or nursing, you must consult a physician before starting any kind of supplement. However, the good news is that a prenatal vitamin may also help your hair and nails as well!